Sports shirt



F. w. BRYANT March 16,1943;

' SPORTS SHIRT 2 Sheets-Sheet l If ,Bryd rat Filed Sept. 12, 1940 F. 'W.IBRY,ANT

March 16,1943.

SPORTS SHIRT Filed Sept. 12, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SPORTS SHIRT Frederick W. Bryant, Montclair, N. J. Application September 12, 1940, Serial No. 356,548

7 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in shirts and closure means therein, particularly such as may be embodied in sports-shirts, al-' though adapted also to use in dress shirts and others, according to the nature of the occasions on which the garment is to be worn, and the invention aims at an improvement relating to that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 1,956,489, April 24, 1934.

An important aim of this invention is to enable the securement to the shirt in closed condition without requiring the use of button fasteners and the like. Another important aim is to provide a novel form of neck closure device corresponding to a neck-tie, together with novel means coordinated therewith for securing it in place and position. In the same connection, it is an important aim to present aneck closure device which may be worn in several different and widely distinct styles, so as to afford the wearer a considerable range of individuality, in appearance, at the same time that an orderly dressing of the neck of the wearer is attained, which will conform to goodptaste in the better classes-of social groups. a

A further important aim of the invention is to present a combined shirt and over-front garment which, while giving the wearer a more fully dressed appearance than the wearing of asimple shirt, will at the same time be peculiarly coordinated with the major shirt garment to close the same, and also to provide extra warmth and protection against draft, as well as reduce the likelihood of catching cold after violent exercise, especially over those parts of the body which are especially subject to congestion by chilling, with resultant liability of illness.

A further aim is to present a shirt garment with over-front part which is so constructed that while simulating a vest, they also provide ample pockets on the shirt, in a novel way. V Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodimentof the invention, as will be more readily understood from the following descrip-'.

tion and accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure l is a front View of a shirt embodying myinvention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of the under body of the garment. -Figure 3 is a view of the'pattern for one of the over-front in one piece is illustrated.

Figure 5 is a detail view of a neck and upper front portion of the garment, showing one side in edge view, illustrating the kerchief loop;

Figure 6 illustrates how the kerchief may be used as a simulation of an ascot tie retained by the over-front.

Figure 7 illustrates another manner of use of the kerchief garment.

Figure 8 is a detail of the kerchief.

Figure 9 is a plan of a modified cut for the parts of the over front.

There is illustrated a garment comprising a main or underbody portion it, which, as to the formation of the back, sleeves, neck and collar portion, may conform to approved conventional practice in the production of such garments, and in general the garment may be varied to present an appearance similar to that of some of the well-known sports shirt, or other styles. The front of the garment may also correspond to conventional practice to a certain extent, but preferably consists of right and leftfront pieces H and '12, respectively, which may be attached to the back portion at the shoulders and below the armholes as usual, these front pieces being adapted to be connected to each other by one button at the upper part, which may include a part of a neck-band l3 or other conventional part of the collar portion of a garment, the remainder being hemmed and arranged to be overlappedat [4, but requiring no further buttons, due-to the closure effect of the overbody portion subsequently'to be described. J Y

While the front pieces I l and I2 may terminate at' a waist-band, such as conventionally used in the art heretofore, it is considered preferable for reasons which will be subsequently clear, to have the lower edges of these pieces cut on the bias, at the lines l5, shown in Figure 2 and attached toa front apron-piece I6, cut to receive the lower ends of the pieces II and I2 thereon, being cut in a; V-shape at the top edge for this purpose, and havin g the, respective lower edges of the pieces II and I2 fixed thereto, as shown in Figure 2. The sides of the apron-piece may be attached to corresponding parts of the back for a short distance at theupper part, in accordance with prior practices in shirts. The collar 11 and neck band [3 may be formed either as separate pieces, in accordance with prior practices in high grade'shirts or maybe made in one piece with such parts of the shirt as found practicable, or may be made in one piece separate from the shirt and attachedthereto.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the main or underbody garment ID of the shirt is open upward from a distance below the waist of the wearer, but is closed throughout the apron portion IS, the opening in the shirt being held closed at its lower part by reason of its attachment in overlapped relation of the edges, to the apron part Hi. The back of the shirt may include the usual yoke and tail portion, these, however, not being illustrated as being no novel feature of this invention and being familiar in the art.

An overfront assemblage having the general appearance of a fancy vest when worn is provided as an integral part of the shirt, this consisting of two pieces, a right over-piece l8 and a left over-piece 19, the two being of identical pattern such as shown in Figure 3. These pieces may be formed of material contrasting with that of the shirt, if desired, or may be formed of a similar material, as discretion dictates. Each is formed with a lower part which includes a main Waist edge 26 of a length equal to one of the front edges l5 of the apron I6, and a minor waist edge 2| extending at an angle to the edge corresponding to the angle of the two edges l5 of the apron I6 to each other. Each of the pieces l8 and I9 is formed with a side edge 22 extending vertically, and an inclined edge 23 extending from the extremity of the minor waist edge 2| upwardly. The edges 2|, 2-2 and 23. are each rectilinear, and arranged in such angular relation that the edges 20. and 21 may be stitched to the respective edges [5 of the apron IS, with the lateral edge 22 located on a vertical line below the armholes of the underbody, and terminatingat said armhole, while the upper part of the edge 23 extends to a point on the shoulder of the undergarment spaced a distance outwardly from the collar or collar-band, this extremity of the right hand piece being located on the right-hand side of the undergarment. The upper end of the pieces l8 and I9 terminate in a narrow strap portion 24, having a top edge 25 adapted to be secured at the shoulder seam of the underbody in. a suitable manner, as shown at 25'. The edge 26 of the piece, forming the outer side of the top portion 24, is extended downwardly from the upper end of the piece and curved increasingly outward to form a junction with the edge 22 of the piece. It will be noted that the edge 26 is very slightly curved on the upper .end; of the piece to a point near a level with the upper termination of the edge 22, and from that point it, is curved abruptly, so as to intercept, the edge 22- as before mentioned; I The upperpart of the edge 26 is slightly divergent from the edge 23, as shown. I I

In the assembly of the garment, the edges 23 are hemmed, in a suitable manner, but are left unattached throughout their length. The overfront pieces 18 and [9 may be attached after the underbody of the shirt is made up and completed, or, may be secured in place simultaneously with the stitching of the parts of the undergarment together, particularly at the edges 20, 2|, 22 and 25. After the last named four edges are secured in place, a line of stitching is formed along the upper part of the edge 26 to a point indicated at 21., from which point a line of stitching 28 is continued downwardly across the piece to the main waist edge 20, intersecting the latter edge a spaced distance from the edge 22, so that a pocket 29 is formed between the front of the undergarment, and the over-front piece. The piece l8 being secured in place, the piece leis. then laid in position and sewn, with its edge 22 coinciding with the side seam of the shirt usually formed beneath the arm of the shirt, the same as in the case of the seam I8 which was attached on the righthand side of the shirt. Corresponding seams are then formed in the left-hand piece, by which it is secured with its lower downwardly pointed part overlapping the corresponding part of the piece l8, the edge 23 of the left-hand piece crossing the corresponding edge of the right-hand piece at a point close to or above the level of the top edges of the pockets 29. If desired, the piece I 9 may be fixed in place simultaneously with the securement of the piece l8, as will be readily understood. The top edges of the pockets 29 may be suitably hemmed and finished to adapt these pockets for the personal use of the wearer in carrying papers, articles or the like. If desired, the parts of this shirt corresponding to the tongues or tab parts usually formed atv the ends of a collar band for buttoning the closure of the shirt at its. upper part, may be formed with rounded corners, and button. and buttonhole devices omitted, as shown in Figure 7, so that when the upper part of the front pieces H and I2 with the attached collar portion are folded backwardly, these parts, indicated at 30, have the appearance of lapels, giving a more dressed appearance to the tout ensemble. On the inner side of one of the front pieces of the garment II or l2, a loop 3| is attached, consisting of a strap of fabric such as the shirt ma,- terial, or other suitable material, permanently secured to the inner face of the underbody of the grament, the strap being bent into an open loop of three or four inches length, involving the use of a strap of at least six or eight inches in length, its ends being brought together and stitched against the inner side of the shirt at or close to the collar tab 30, the loop extending upwardly. Through this loop a kerchief 32 is loosely, removably engaged, folded so that opposite ends may be brought up within the collar. of the garment and dropped thereover and held by the overfront pieces, as. shown in Figure 6. For this purpose it may be. found desirable to have a fastener of suitable kind to secure the parts 30 together and hold the collar in, good form. If desired, the fastening of the loop may also be utilized to secure a button 33 in. place on the parts 39 or lower on the, garment, the latterbeing indicated in Figure 8, where the button is shown and a. corresponding button hole 34 formed on the opposite. edge portion, of the underbody of, the garment. As shown in Figure 8, the kerchief may be, a, simple rectangle of cloth suitably hemmed or otherwise, finished, which may be folded on the dotted lines indicated at 35, so as to form an oblong article with pointed ends.

While I have. described the underbody as formed with the front pieces [I and 12 cut separately from; the apron portion of. the garment, it will be understood that if desired, these may be formed of one piece, with the apron part, or with respective side portions of the apron part, in accordance with the dictates of economical use of materials, and the overfront portion may be formed also in one or more pieces,.if desired, Figure 4 illustrating the formation of a corresponding element in one piece. In this instance, the overfront piece 36 illustrated in Figure 4 is cut from suitable goods in one piece, including a lower abdominal part 37 having two lateral edges 38 corresponding to the edges 22 of the pieces 18 and 19, and so proportioned thatthey may be secured at the side'seams of the undergarment, and being of the same vertical dimensions as the edges 22 before described, the lower edge portion of'this member 36 being V-shaped as at 38, the respective edges of the V-portion being secured upon the undergarment, as in the first described form of the article. A central upwardly extended yoke 39 is formed integrally with the lower part of the piece 36, providing respective strap portions 40 which correspond to the strap portions 24 before described, and arranged similarly over the undergarment and attached correspondingly to the shoulder seams or shoulder yokes of the undergarment. The latter garment may be constructed as described in the case of the undergarment first described.

In Figure 9 there is illustrated a method of creating the appearance of lapped side portions in the over front, yet without requiring the material to be included that would be covered by an actual overlapping of two such side portions. In this instance, one over front piece 40 may be cut and finished substantially as the piece l9 shown in Figure 1, as the outside or overlapping piece. The right over piece 4! in this instance may be formed with the latera part 29 corresponding to the part 29 first described, and the upwardly extending strap portion 24 corresponding to the part 24 before described, a body portion 42 being formed at the junction of these parts. This body portion, instead of extending sufficiently to pass over the abdomen, is cut on a line 44 parallel to the diagonal inner edge 43 of the piece 4!], which edge corresponds to the edges 23 of the parts first described. The piece 4| has a short edge corresponding to the edge 2! first described, and also 23', 26 and 22, corresponding to the edges 23, 26, and 22 of Figure 3. Pocket stitching 28' may be employed, or the contour of the pocket otherwise shaped to meet the demand of the wearer. The piece 40 is laid over the piece 4| with the edge 53 lapping the edge 44 sufiiciently for attachment of the two together, and they are then stitched together, preferably before attachment to the under body. The underbody may be made as first described, and the modified over body assembled as indicated, may then be stitched to the under body at the sides, bottom and top ends of the straps 24, and additionally as discretion dictates, so that the garment will have the same external appearance as the garment shown in Figure 1.

While I have disclosed a form of the invention in great detail, it will be understood that this is purely exemplary and that various modifications in the form, arrangement, combination of parts, and manner of attachment may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the claims hereto appended.

I claim:

1. A garment of the general character described, comprising an open-front under-body shirt, and an over-front thereon consisting of a lower abdominal body portion having lateral extensions attached to the side portions of the under-body shirt, and divergent upwardly extended strap portions connected to the shoulder portions of the under-body shirt, said overfront being connected to said under-body shirt adjacent its lower edge whereby to form pockets between the under-body shirt and the over-front,

the upperedge of the lateral extensions being free from the under-body shirt to form an opening for the pockets.

2. The article of claim 1, in which the upwardly extended strap portions are unattached at their inner edges, their outer edges being deeply recessed, a seam of stitching between the overfront and under-garment being formed between the lower edge of the over-front and said recessed edge spaced a substantial distance from the lateral edge of the overfront piece, whereby a pocket is formed between the under-garment and the over-front.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said overfront is formed in two pieces attached adjacent respective sides of the under-body and extended into overlapped relation and attached throughout their lower edges to the said under-body, their overlapped edges extending diagonally upwardly and outwardly to the shoulder of the garment and being unattached to each other and the underbody shirt.

4. The structure of claim 1, wherein said overfront is formed in two pieces attached at respec tive sides of the under-body and extended into overlapped relation and attached throughout their lower edges to the said under-body, their overlapped edges extending diagonally upwardly and outwardly to the shoulder of the garment and being unattached to each other and the under-body shirt, a seam being extended from the lower attached edge of each of the pieces to said recessed edge at a distance from the lateral edge of the piece, connecting the under-garment and the over-front portion to form a pocket in said lateral extension of the overfront piece.

5. The structure of claim 1, wherein said overfront is formed in two pieces attached at respectives sides of the under-body and extended into overlapped relation and attached throughout their lower edges to the said underbody, their overlapped edges extending diagonally upwardly and outwardly to the shoulder of the garment and being unattached to each other and the underbody shirt, a seam being extended from the lower attached edge of each of the pieces to said recessed edge at a distance from the lateral edge of the piece, connecting the under-garment and the over-front portion to form a pocket in said lateral extension of the overfront piece, the lower edge portion of said overfront part being substantially V-shaped, and said under-garment having an opening extended from its neck to the apex of said V-portion.

6. The article of claim 1 in which said overfront portion is formed in two pieces arranged at respective sides of said under-garment with respective lateral edges attached at the extreme sides of the under-garment, and each having a major inclined bottom edge extended inwardly and downwardly and a minor bottom edge extended from the inner termination of the major bottom edge upwardly at a corresponding angle, the two pieces being overlapped with the points thus formed in registry and the bottom edges in the overlapped parts alined and secured to the undergarment, the said undergarment having a neck opening and collar, and having also a placket opening extending from the neck opening in its front part to the angle at the points of the said overfront pieces, each piece having a. respective one of said strap portions thereon attached to the shoulder of the undergarment at the same side of the latter with said major bottom edge.

'7. The structure of claim 1 wherein said overfront is formed in two pieces attached at respective sides of the under-body, each including an upper strap portion attached at its upper end to a respective shoulder of the under-body, each strap and the body portion of the piece having an inner diagonal edge, the two diagonal edges intersecting medially over the under-body, the diagonal edge and body of one piece extending across FREDERICK W. BRYANT. 

